1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of portable oxygen breathing apparatus and, in particular, to the conversion of a portable oxygen cylinder and regulator into an emergency respiratory system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of both non-portable and portable oxygen breathing equipment have been designed and/or used for many decades for the purpose of either prescribed, preplanned medical treatment, for emergency situations and/or for various recreational, commercial, and/or research and development activities. Such apparatus has also been in operational use in hyperbaric and high altitude chambers, and in aircraft as well. In this connection, the following U.S. patents have been examined for relevancy to the present invention. Firstly, U.S. Pat. No. 980,996, issued Jan. 10, 1911 to D. E. Parker, is an example of the non-portable-type in which a combined oxygen generator and oxygen administering device employs so-called "oxone briquets" which react with water in a chamber to produce oxygen. After being transferred from the chamber and washed for impurities, the oxygen is exhausted through an outlet pipe into a flexible hose and mouthpiece adapted to be placed over the nose and mouth of the victim or patient. An air pump consisting of a flexible bulb and tube is used to increase the supply of oxygen to the user by increasing the air pressure in a surrounding chamber and thus increase the amount of water fed upward through a perforated diaphragm supporting the oxone briquets. In a second U.S. Pat. No. 1,177,208, issued Mar. 28, 1916 to J. H. Pierpont, a portable type of oxygen or air-breathing apparatus called a "pulmotor" is used. A reservoir bag of oxygen is suspended from the neck of the operator, and a pneumatic bag is attached between his arm and side. A first tube is disposed between the bag and reservoir, and a second tube extends between the bag and a valve device held in one hand of the operator. In fluid communication with the second tube is a metal tube that is held in the same hand and at the end of which is a third flexible tube that is, in turn, attached to a face mask. In operation, the pneumatic bag is compressed between the arm and side of the operator, causing a valve in the hand held valve device to open fluid communication between the second tube and the metal tube to thereby direct flow to the face mask.
A pair of additional U.S. patents; namely, U.S. Pat. No. 2,912,982, issued Nov. 17, 1959 to A. J. Barsky, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,705, issued June 18, 1968 to S. L. Grosshandler, both teach improved types of endotracheal tube adaptors. The Barsky device relates to a rigid adaptor and flexible tube collectively shaped in the form of a question mark and which principally involves improved joint means connecting the rigid adaptor to a flexible tube, this joint connection being of the "slip-joint" type to enable its simple connection or separation merely by pushing or pulling. Also, an opening to the interior of the adaptor is provided through which is fed a suction tube which also leads through the endotracheal tube for insertion into the windpipe to extract mucus, blood or other fluids accumulated therein. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,705, details of an adaptor are described for attaching endotracheal tubes to an anesthesia machine. At one end thereof the adaptor incorporates a molded tubular body with a tapered sleeve engaged within a female connector on the chimney of an anesthesia machine. At its other end, the adaptor uses an integral flexible diaphragm incorporating an axial opening through which one end of the endotracheal tube is inserted. The diameter of the adaptor-axial end opening is made smaller than that of the endotracheal tube thereby ensuring a relatively tight hold therebetween.
In another U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,880, issued Jan. 23, 1962 to M. H. Brook, a resuscitator is disclosed that consists generally of a flexible tube insertable in the patient's mouth and beyond to a position nearly adjacent the pharynx, with a mouthguard located in position to overlie the patient's mouth. Again, a suction tube is employed and details of the connection between a primary tube and the flexible tube are described. The final two patents listed herein; namely, U.S. Pat. No. 3,461,877 issued Aug. 19, 1969 to E. T. Morch and U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,030, issued Feb. 26, 1974 to H. N. Cotabish et al, are included respectively to show the teaching of a tracheotomy tube construction, and another illustration of an oxygen generator. In the former, seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,461,877, a tracheotomy tube is illustrated in combination with a supply of oxygen or more accurately, a supply of air furnished through the use of a respirator with an exhalation value unit and a pair of air hoses, one of which connects the respirator to the valve and the second connecting the valve unit to the tracheotomy tube. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,794,030 again shows a device for both the generation and administering of oxygen, as was the case with the initially discussed U.S. Pat. No. 980,996. In this case, however, instead of the older use of oxone briquets, there is a canister containing carbon dioxide absorbing and an oxygen producing chemical, such as potassium superoxide. A flexible breathing hose with a mouthpiece is attached to the outlet port of the canister.
Although the present invention makes use of known components, such as the endotracheal adaptor and tube, as well as other flexible-type tubing and oxygen hoses, and such elements are obviously taught per se in the prior art as may be represented in the above-outlined patents; nevertheless, the present invention specifically relates to an emergency respiratory system utilizing many of the components described in the cited patents in a new and improved arrangement that includes the use of a pressurized supply of oxygen and, in addition, a novel and simplified passive-type technique for insuring the application of a positive pressure flow of oxygen to the lungs of the patient or victim, as will readily appear hereafter in the following summary and detailed description.